Front plate

[levigarrett]

Hello everyone.

I recently moved to the western slope from the bay area. I left my S4 in California but I'll be retrieving it in June. I bought the car new in Florida where no front plate was required. While front plates are required in California, the law is completely un-inforced. I lived there for almost 4 yrs sans front plate. The Pitkin and Eagle county cops out here will make no such allowances I'm afraid. So with that in mind, which front plate tow mount holder do some of you use and endorse?

Also, anyone have any experience with the shop below? My car is bone stock except for springs and spacers (which I think I'll have to remove because of dirt road and snow) and I'm thinking of going APR Stage 2 and TCU. My car is no longer under warranty and paid for so TD1 is not an issue...

Thanks.

https://www.eautowerks.com

These guys are located in Glenwood Springs

[bshanna]

Honestly the only place you'll have trouble is in Denver City/County. I ran without a front plate in aurora for YEARS, it's just parking on the street where they do street sweeping and metered parking that will get you. Unless it's changed drastically in the past few years?

Or are you saying you saying the cops have already hassled you for it?

[levigarrett]

Honestly the only place you'll have trouble is in Denver City/County. I ran without a front plate in aurora for YEARS, it's just parking on the street where they do street sweeping and metered parking that will get you. Unless it's changed drastically in the past few years?

Or are you saying you saying the cops have already hassled you for it?

I've had no issues because the car ins't here yet but I've spent a lot of time here (Carbondale/Redstone) and have some experience with the police out this way. They're generally pretty formal and I doubt I'd be given much leeway. I'm certainly happy to test that theory once the car arrives and see how it goes. Worst case a 'fix it" ticket and then I'll know one way or another. Either way, I just wondered which mount had proven itself with the membership.

[kobrian85]

I have the US Millworks tow mount. I'm happy with it, well built. http://www.usmillworks.com/audi.html

[levigarrett]

I have the US Millworks tow mount. I'm happy with it, well built. http://www.usmillworks.com/audi.html

Thanks! I'll take a look.

BTW, how many of you with Stage 2 are running additional cooling?

[kobrian85]

BTW, how many of you with Stage 2 are running additional cooling?

I'm not there yet, I'm still being held down by another year of CPO. JD S4 can maybe chime in more on that topic though. Otherwise, the general consensus on the B8 S4 subforum is to upgrade cooling with S2 DP setup. Unitronic is currently running S2 DP without cooling, and although the results are great, you can't get the "best" of this platform without upgraded cooling.

More info regarding the opinion of Unitronic in the later pages of this tread: https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...ow-Available!*

[zachf88]

I run no front plate on my RS4. When I park in Denver County, I have magnets behind my filler plate and license plate.

[jjvwg]

I’ve ran no front plate for 15 years between eagle county and Denver and got a ticket while parked on the street in boulder once. Like everyone else has said, you’ll be fine unless your parked on the street in a city. I had been pulled over once or twice in eagle county and had them ask why I didn’t have one because the cops up there h e nothing better to do but I never did and never had a problem.

[treginginco]

I don’t have a front plate. If I park in Denver, I just throw the plate on the dash. I keep it in the glove box.


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[4RCFED]

Yeah, cherry creek is the worst. Hit me twice there after I was late to the meter by 5 minutes ($125.00). Second time, I drove around the block and caught up to the meter maid and told him I just got the car and hadn't thrown a plate on yet, he voided the ticket so that was lucky. Now I run a tow hook plate mount.

[RSLRS71]

Denver and Cherry Creek are sticklers for the front plate....but i wont ever ruin the front end with a damn plate.

[DOCEVG]

FWIW, I got pulled over by a state trooper in my front plate-less S4 last year for an unrelated (alleged) violation on Berthoud Pass (Grand County) and, although he looked at the front of my car, he didn't say a word. I drive and park that car in Eagle County a lot, and have never had a problem. Nor, knock on wood, have I ever had a problem with my other front plate-less cars (but I don't park on Denver streets without at least throwing the plate on the front dash).

[Avus RS4]

I’ve never had front license plate on my Z06 corvette when I had it and no front license plate on my Audi either.
The only law enforcement that from time to time may pull you over exclusively for not having a front license plate is the Colorado State Troopers.
And if you plan on visiting downtown Denver the meter maids will stick you hardcore for it.
Ask me how I know...


Wait!
I lied. I did get pulled over in my Audi about 2 years ago. On US287 a State Trooper saw me, slowed down, allowed me to pass him and then pulled me over.
I’ve told him the bracket had some stripped holes and I couldn’t get the right screws to hold the plate in place,which it happens to be true...
I have a new grilled but no drilled holes yet, and I won’t drill one either.

[zachf88]

I don’t have a front plate. If I park in Denver, I just throw the plate on the dash. I keep it in the glove box.


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Doesn't work. Law states it has to be affixed to the front of the car. Received a ticket for no front plate when it was on the dash.

[levigarrett]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'll test the situation out here and see what comes of it. If I have to put a plate on, I'll do it.

For my question about cooling, I won't go DP, probably just Stage2. No trips to the track, just up and down the highway primarily. Generally, I just want to maintain stock performance at altitude or make some modest gains. Nothing more. I'll also have to modify my suspension I suspect. I get a little bit of rubbing on the rears because I went too wide with 15mm spacers. I may just do coils and that would allow me to adjust depending on the time of year. My car is definitely not set up for our dirt road or the kind of snow we get out here (Redstone) in the winter. I have an F-150 here now for really shitty conditions but I'd like to make the S4 more snow capable then it is with the current drop.

[bshanna]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'll test the situation out here and see what comes of it. If I have to put a plate on, I'll do it.

For my question about cooling, I won't go DP, probably just Stage2. No trips to the track, just up and down the highway primarily. Generally, I just want to maintain stock performance at altitude or make some modest gains. Nothing more. I'll also have to modify my suspension I suspect. I get a little bit of rubbing on the rears because I went too wide with 15mm spacers. I may just do coils and that would allow me to adjust depending on the time of year. My car is definitely not set up for our dirt road or the kind of snow we get out here (Redstone) in the winter. I have an F-150 here now for really shitty conditions but I'd like to make the S4 more snow capable then it is with the current drop.

Yah i was pulled over once 13 years ago in my MR2 for not having a front plate on I70 in golden (literally no other reason). He gave me a written warning but i've never had issues since. But i live in city park in denver and would NEVER park on the street without it, meter maids will give you a ticket a day if they find you.

Also, be prepared to be very much saddened by the power loss at elevation of your car :( Even with the super charger, you will feel like you lost 10-15% of your power. Because you did.

[Avus RS4]

I've had my "front plate" laying on the dash with plenty exposure to be seen, and still got nailed in downtown Denver

[bshanna]

I've had my "front plate" laying on the dash with plenty exposure to be seen, and still got nailed in downtown Denver

yeah.. you will definitely still get a ticket.

[treginginco]

The law changed just last month.... signed by the “gubnuh”

The “mounted” part of the law has been removed. It now was must be visible and 12-inches from the ground. Signed into law 3.29.18.


https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/defau...028_signed.pdf


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[Whiteboy1]

I wouldn’t worry about it. Downtown Denver and the Cherry Creek North are are the only places people ever get tickets for no front plate. Lived here my whole life and most of my cars haven’t had one- never gotten a ticket.


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[Avus RS4]

I figure if you need to be in downtown Denver or in the cherry creek area that might as well pay $20 bucks or whatever it might these days be to park in a paying lot or underground parking

[bshanna]

The law changed just last month.... signed by the “gubnuh”

The “mounted” part of the law has been removed. It now was must be visible and 12-inches from the ground. Signed into law 3.29.18.


https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/defau...028_signed.pdf


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that's good to know!

[JD S4]

I’ve had no plate on my S4 for over 2 years - zero issues. Live in Boulder country, spend time in Denver, Summit and Western Slope.

Zero issues.

I was also stage 2 with cooling for 2 years. I’m not sure it was any faster - but much more consistent. I could make 4 pulls back to back with no degradation in Performance where as it was hear soaked after a couple hard runs without cooling.

3 gallons of E85 makes more difference in performance than cooling did - but IMO, both are great ideas in Colorado. It’s hot and high altitude and shitty 91 octane.

I think I found e85 in Carbondale last fall. Should be good. Add 3 gallons and a $400 MercRaciNg HE and you’ll be dialed for stage 2!


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[Reggie]

Wow - I lived in the Bay Area from 75-96 and I felt that no front plates were easy tickets there so I never even considered not having one. Looks like you got great advice here

[HazeMyth]

The law changed just last month.... signed by the “gubnuh”

The “mounted” part of the law has been removed. It now was must be visible and 12-inches from the ground. Signed into law 3.29.18.


https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/defau...028_signed.pdf


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That doesn't seem like much of a change. If anything,. they've just clarified even more that they'll be in the right to pull us over for even aftermarket mounted plates. Enforcement won't change. Honestly, they just need to take front plate requirements completely away. It's one of the most useless things ever.

[Kodachrome]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I think I'll test the situation out here and see what comes of it. If I have to put a plate on, I'll do it.

I'm in the same area as you, took my front plate off today and keep it handy to put in on the dash while parked. Any updates on this?

The only thing I hate worse that front plates on a car like this is tickets for not having one....

[Docwyte]

Putting the plate on your dash won't save you from a ticket. It's gotta be permanently attached to the car and at a certain height. So basically attached to your bumper. Some people have used magnets, velcro, whatever to put their plate on.

Some areas of town and patrolled far more by the meter maids than others. Cherry Creek, downtown and oddly the small side street my office is on for instance.

[radec]

I took the idea that someone recommended in another forum (sorry did a quick search and couldn't find it). Using 2 toggle bolts on the top of the plate and a few rubber bumpers on the bottom you have a quick release plate that can be snapped on quickly when needed. My plate stays off 98% of the time but I snap it on if I'm parking in an area known to pass out tickets. With a little adjustments of the toggle bolts its tight enough to look as if it was permanent and easily stays on even at highway speeds. At first glance you could never tell it wasn't mounted permanently.

[Aok303]

i don't run a front plate on my s4, my dd has one so normally i just take the right vehicle. if i do go downtown with my s4 i park in a lot or garage and its all good 10$ to stay away from a 75 dollar ticket

and that NEW mounting law was because tow brackets and zip ties didn't count if they wanted to be real sticklers on it as it is not in the middle of the front bumper which was written in the law.
some factory locations like the evo were illegal even though stock from factory so they were being ticketed as it was not a manufactured SPOT usually issued at the illegal car meets,
they changed the law cause more factory's were optioning it but went against where the plate by law had to be, and people were fighting it in court
YOUR DASH is still not within the legal display so you still will get a ticket. in fact it is illegal to put it touching the windshield due to safety in case of an accident.

[DiscoDan]

Putting the plate in your front window will likely invite more closer scrutiny if a cop pulls you over. I've never had a cop walk around to the front of my car to take a look at it for pulling me over for some other violation (i.e. failure to signal or whatever). If the cop standing by my window can clearly see the front plate right in front of his face it might very well entice him to wonder why it's not mounted and cite me for that.

Either leave it off completely and risk the citation or run a front plate as defined in the laws/regs

[treginginco]

Just to clarify.... my front plate is on the dash only when parked in the open...... otherwise it’s tucked away.


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[JDuggz]

I live in the pitkin county and eagle county areas and daily drive my rs4 up and down the roaring fork valley with no front plates or anything in the window.. I’ve seriously never had an issue. Unless ur driving like real asshat the cops and sheriffs around there are pretty relaxed.

Also.. absolutely do NOT! use that shop in Glenwood Springs you mentioned called European Auto Werks.
They don’t know anything about Audi or cars in general and charge $200/hr flat rate for any and all work.
Biggest rip off in the valley. Audi dealership is $210/hr just down the road so I usually get all my work done in Denver at
Berge or Hardey in Parker

[JDuggz]

Hello everyone.

I recently moved to the western slope from the bay area. I left my S4 in California but I'll be retrieving it in June. I bought the car new in Florida where no front plate was required. While front plates are required in California, the law is completely un-inforced. I lived there for almost 4 yrs sans front plate. The Pitkin and Eagle county cops out here will make no such allowances I'm afraid. So with that in mind, which front plate tow mount holder do some of you use and endorse?

Also, anyone have any experience with the shop below? My car is bone stock except for springs and spacers (which I think I'll have to remove because of dirt road and snow) and I'm thinking of going APR Stage 2 and TCU. My car is no longer under warranty and paid for so TD1 is not an issue...

Thanks.

https://www.eautowerks.com

These guys are located in Glenwood Springs

Yo bro.. it’s Jasen lol. Hit me up and let’s go cruise.